By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp

Brooks NE Regional Championship Race Results

More Photos from John Nepolitan - Gallery 1 & Gallery 2

Thousands compete, but only ten boys and ten girls qualify each year from four regions in the country for the National Cross Country Championships, this year sponsored by Brooks and formerly by Foot Locker. This century, Connecticut has qualified athletes in all but three years to race in San Diego, California on the historic Balboa Park course which will take place December 13th. This year, the Nutmeg State is sending four boys and one girl from the Northeast Region Championships held at Franklin Park in Boston on Saturday. The region consists of all the states on the East coast from Maryland to Maine. 

Sam Laverdiere of Maine, outleaned Nathan Lee from the Brunswick School in Greenwich to win the Brooks Northeast regional title at the wire in a time of 14:59.9. Laverdiere, who is home schooled, is in his 5th season of high school cross country, but is still only 18 years old. He only ran open races this fall against college athletes and adults. 

Photo finish by Lee and Laverdiere (John Nepolitan)

After finishing 14th last year and just missing the chance to compete in San Diego, Laverdiere was ecstatic just to qualify and to win. “It’s a crazy feeling, it hasn’t sunken in yet. I never thought I would be in this position. I was never the fastest as a freshman or a sophomore but I worked my butt off.”

There were three boys coming down the final stretch all with a chance to win. Lee, who will attend Harvard next year, dove across the line but came up .1 second short. “Surprisingly I felt good the whole way,” he said after the race. “I got out the way I expected and made my way up to the front and settled in and wanted to hold position. In the end I kind of wanted it to come down to a kick because I wanted to make sure my spot was safe and kick really hard, but Sam had a better kick. It was fun to go head to head with him. I’m mainly happy I can go back to San Diego because I think I’ve got more in the tank.”

Sam Leone became the second East Lyme boy to qualify for Nationals in four years, by finishing 5th place in 15:20.1 “This is a dream from the beginning and to finally be and to have that ticket punched to California, it’s sweet.” The senior, who has committed to the University of Massachusetts, moved up from 10th at the State Open last year to win the meet four weeks ago. 

Commenting on his improvement to becoming a national class high school runner, he said “You can always improve. Never get comfortable with where you are. You should always be looking forward and never get complacent.” 

Sam Leone’s (#247) finish (John Nepolitan)

Teddy Hojlo finished 7th in 15:23.7 to join his Brunswick teammate Lee at Nationals. When he asked what he learned from him, he said “I’ve already learned so much from him, so much of my running style, like how to train, has come from him. He is sure to teach me a few things about how to run a national race.”

Moving up from 31st last year at regionals to finish 9th was Griswold’s Tycen Labelle to become the top returner next year. He ran a time of 15:29.2. The junior became the third boy from Griswold and the first since Gavin Coombs and Tradelle Ward qualified in 2003 and 2005.